


Two Sides Of A Coin

by Locolo



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Please lock them in a room together and never let them out again, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-20 15:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30006657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Locolo/pseuds/Locolo
Summary: They are two sides of the same person, two sides of the same coin, and yet, after their return from the top of the world tree, they find that this no longer applies. And now it is up to Pyra to finally try and live the life she had always envisioned for herself... with only one person at her side.
Relationships: Homura | Pyra/Rex
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. Return

Gone. So they were truly gone… 

The sky seemed endless as everyone directed their eyes to the sight above, the destruction of the world tree ensuring a new tomorrow for all of Alrest. And yet… 

… why did it have to end like this…?

Rex's were almost staring into nothingness, even as the rest watched on, the sun beginning to rise in the distance to signal the start of a new day. She wouldn't have wanted him to feel like this, she wouldn't have wanted him to think like this… but what did it matter…?

"What the…?", Rex almost wanted to ignore the sounds of his friends as they gasped, the green light that was suddenly emanating from somewhere out of the corner of his vision-

-the… the… 

"Huh…?", before he could even glance at the glowing core crystal in his hand, his eyes were suddenly drawn to the bright, emerald light that erupted on the very edge of the cliff, causing them all to shield their eyes from its sheer intensity. 

And the moment Rex opened them once more, all of his thoughts began to vanish, leaving him frozen in place. The jaws of everyone hung open as they stared at the sight in front of them, and it only caused both of the Aegises to look back at them with a small smile once they fully emerged from the light, the colours of a new dawn shining upon them. 

And even as no one uttered a single word, it was Poppi who rushed forward without a second thought, jumping into the arms of both Pyra and Mythra, giving proof that all of this… was no illusion. 

But even as Rex could only stare with utter disbelief just as Mythra gently set the artificial blade upon the ground again, nothing but an empty gasp escaped him the moment Pyra met his eyes, a small but joyful smile beginning to grow upon her lips even as the light of the morning sun glimmered within her gaze. The world around him was entirely lost to Rex, their eyes never separating from each other, a silent wish reflecting within Pyra's eyes as she waited just for him, and still he found himself unable to move… 

… until suddenly, a light shove forward from behind tore him out of his trance, and before he knew it, Nia was whispering into his ear. 

"Go on, she is waiting for no one else…", giving him a last knowing and smug look in return just as Rex glanced back at her for a moment, until he finally gave her a small nod in return and faced forward once again. 

And yet, with every step that he took towards her, he felt his body beginning to tremble once more, never being able to look away from her eyes as they almost gleamed… 

Until there was almost no distance between them left, and Rex stopped just a small distance away from her, his body failing to take another step once tears finally began to threaten escaping his eyes. And it was then that Pyra took the last remaining steps and closed what little distance remained between them, and her arms gently pulled him against herself just before she embraced him, breaking whatever wall that was left between them. 

Unable to hold back any longer, he returned the notion just as much as they embraced each other dearly, both of them refusing to let go of the other for a single moment, and Pyra's lips almost brushed against him as she whispered something into his ear that none other could hear. 

"I'm back, Rex…", and the moment she whispered his name to him, just before she held him even closer against herself, he couldn't hold it back any longer and a single tear rolled down his cheek. 

"Pyra…  _ Pyra _ …", more and more tears followed as he trembled against her, and she held him all the more dearly, never letting go. 

Mythra could do nothing but watch the scene unfold beside her, until she shifted her eyes towards the ground instead for a small moment… and a small smile found its way upon her lips before she wordlessly took Poppi's hand into her own and walked towards the rest of the group, who were utterly stunned and still speechless as they watched the scene as well. At least, all but Nia and Morag, who were only regarding it with a content smile. 

And still, just as she walked, Mythra halted for the briefest of moments before she glanced at the two of them one last time, a barely audible whisper leaving her mouth. 

"I guess… after everything that happened, I'm happy for you,  _ Pyra _ .", and with a mere hint of a grin, the once other half of the Aegis joined the rest of the group, now as a separate and completely individual being. 

"I believe we should leave them to themselves for a while, there are undoubtedly a lot of things that need to be said between them only.", Morag slightly raised her brow as she glanced back at Brighid, but the blade merely smiled knowingly and Nia was quick to voice her agreement with a grin before the group turned and left the edge of the cliff, leaving only both Pyra and Rex as they silently held each other without ever wanting to let go ever again, the morning light shining upon them. 

"Rex…? Do you remember when we have visited your parents?", tracing her finger against his cheek to brush away his tears even as she kept her cheek placed upon the back of his neck, he couldn't witness the smile and the sheer love that were reflecting within her eyes as she gazed at him, his sobs barely coming to a stop. 

"Of… of course…"

"I have made them a promise… and not only to them…", slowly but surely, she pulled back ever so slightly just so their eyes met once more while their faces were mere inches apart, and he could finally witness it all as she smiled at him, rendering him utterly silent before she began to whisper, her warm breath mingling upon his skin. 

"Remember…? One day… I would like nothing more than to close my eyes one last time… with somebody very special at my side…", his eyes widened and even before he could fully comprehend what was happening, a last whisper escaped her lips just as she closed the last distance between them. 

"I  _ love _ you, Rex…"


	2. Memories

"Saddening… Tora would have liked to see Rex-Rex awaken a new blade…", Tora mumbled with disappointment, merely serving to confuse Rex. And yet, Pyra regarded him from beneath her hood, her expression tense ever since Tora had brought up the idea of Rex awakening a new blade… 

"But why? I already have Pyra.", a small wave of glee coursed through her as he looked back at her, albeit after closer consideration, it subsided slightly once she realized that he had probably said this simply because he still didn't know about the possibility of having more than one blade. 

"Come on, Rex. Surely you know that drivers can resonate with more than one blade, right?", again, Pyra's gaze fell to the ground as Azurda spoke, the feeling of uncomfortableness only beginning to spread. 

"... no…? I didn't.", heaving an almost inaudible sigh, she tried her utmost to push these feelings away before she looked back at Rex. 

"... it's alright. But it is true, there are many drivers who command more than one blade.", still, even as she spoke, Pyra kept her eyes closely on Rex, watching his expression for any sign of what she was hoping for. 

"Now that Nia is currently not available, you might want to think of resonating with a new blade for support. Besides, then you could give Pyra a break as well for once. Another advantage.", the moment she heard this and witnessed Rex's pondering expression, she held a hand to her chest before she finally spoke part of her mind. 

"No, not at all, I'm happy to help whenever I can. I… I think I wouldn't like to merely stand at the back and do nothing…", her eyes fell back upon Rex, hoping that she revealed enough. And yet, much to her complete surprise, he didn't even think twice about what he said next. 

"Without meaning to sound rude in any way, I don't like the thought of having another blade, I mean… I don't want another blade other than Pyra.", even through her hood, her eyes widened the moment these words registered fully in her mind, and even though nobody witnessed it… 

… she smiled from ear to ear, her eyes almost glimmering as she glanced back at Rex from beneath her hood. 

* * *

"Ouch…!", Pyra pulled the small stick away from Rex's wound the moment he recoiled from it. 

"Hold still… I thought you were a _tough_ salvager, Rex.", the humour was evident in her eyes as she reared her head back slightly with a small smile. 

"Give me a break! Pain is pain, alright? How about you, are you hurt as well?", Pyra merely closed her eyes with dignity in return. 

"Don't worry, it's just a scratch-", and yet, she tensed immediately the moment Rex applied a bit of the medicine upon her own wounds as well, a pained outcry following immediately after. 

"A-ah… _ahh_ …!"

Unbeknownst to the pair, Vandham's eyes were almost boring into them as he stared at them from the back. And it was not their idle act he was focusing upon. 

"That was on purpose! You were hurting me on purpose, weren't you? Well?", the tall mercenary wordlessly walked over towards them even as they continued to bicker, until he boldly interrupted them. 

"Hey, you two! Gimme a look at that!", his rough voice immediately broke them out of their stupor amidst their actions, and before they knew it, Vandham was closely inspecting the wounds they had both sustained. And just as he assumed, one after another, wherever one of the two had sustained an injury, so did the other at the _exact_ same place… 

"What is this…? Haven't seen this before… you're a blade, you shouldn't be stuck with a bunch of wounds… and they're exactly the same as Rex's…", both of them looked at each other in return as Vandham said that, both merely tilting their head before they shifted their eyes back towards the tall mercenary. 

"Incredible, never heard of such a thing… and that emerald on your chest, I thought it was just an accessory…", Vandham eyed the emerald shape upon Rex's chest. 

"Blades are supposed to heal right away, no matter what the wound. If the crystal is in one piece and the driver is alive, _nothing_ can touch them. So why is she all bashed up?" 

"That's just how it is with us, I don't know why.", Pyra looked at Rex as he said this, her hand moving towards her own emerald shape upon her chest. 

"What it is is a _problem_. It means if one of you kicks the bucket, the other will follow."

"You taught me that a good driver _always_ protects their blade, so that's what I'll do, no matter what.", their eyes met simultaneously, a smile having grown upon Pyra's lips. 

"Pyra saved my life, she brought me back from the dead. So I won't die again, I've got to live, for _her_ sake.", Vandham was silent for a long moment, even as he regarded the two of them interacting, and he tried his utmost to register and understand everything he was just witnessing as he looked at the two of them. He had _never_ seen something such as this before in his life, and in the end, a mere mutter escaped him under his breath. 

"You two are something else…"

* * *

"I'm sorry about Mythra, she didn't mean all that… you have to understand, she came out because she wanted to protect you.", Pyra spoke with slight hesitation as she looked at the way Rex was staring outside of the window, fearing that Mythra's words had been far too harsh. 

"The flame powers I use are just a… shadow of _her_ strength. Mere droplets of excess energy, trickling through the seal…"

"Don't worry, she _was_ right… I'm just glad…", hearing this, Pyra perked up a little once he finally turned to face her, a light smile upon his face. 

"... I want to thank you, for protecting everyone, I mean.", taken aback by his words, she glanced at the ground in return, unsure of what to say. After all, it was _Mythra_ who had saved them… while her own powers were… 

"... protecting…? Me?", and still, hearing it from him, directed at her, she… she wanted to believe it… that they were not directed at… 

"I-I'm sorry, I…"

"You needn't apologize, you know? I don't want you to have to apologize anymore. I hope I can help you move past all these memories… no, I need to!", words evaded her as she looked back at him, mere feelings dwelling within her that warmed her entire being. But… 

" _Your_ power is the power to protect, to keep everyone safe and smiling… I want to do the same. I want to be the kind of driver who can protect you in return for all you've done for me, I promise.", still, just as she listened to his every word, she could feel her concerns fading away, if only for a moment, and a tender smile slowly began to grow upon her lips. 

"Rex-Rex! Can you help Tora with repairing Poppi please?", hearing Tora's voice from downstairs, Rex gave her a last smile in return before he rushed off, leaving Pyra to her very own thoughts. Yet, Azurda's presence on Rex's bed would have almost gone unnoticed until he spoke up once Rex was out of sight, the gramps having kept silent up until now. 

"That's my Rex… never loses his smile, and that's what keeps us all going, isn't it?", witnessing as Pyra stared at the ground with a smile, he slowly continued. 

"It reminds you of Addam, doesn't it?", somehow, the words stuck within Pyra's mind, and suddenly, her smile began to falter once more, and the feelings of bitterness began to return. These words were… wrong. Azurda watched with concern and curiosity as she buried her face in her hands before she slumped onto the bed. And yet, before he could ask her what was wrong, he could hear the almost inaudible mutter that escaped her. 

"No… that… these memories and feelings, they belong to Mythra. But the ones _I_ have forged with Rex, and everything we have experienced together…", slowly but surely, Pyra lowered her hands as she stared at them, all while Azurda listened to every word. 

"They are my own… _Pyra's_ …", within that moment, memories flashed in front of her mental eye, relentlessly coursing through her mind. 

_"Look. They look one and the same…", Rex stuttered slightly the moment she shifted closer to him on the log, holding her hand against his own with a smile as she lidded her eyes, their bandages placed on the exact same spot on their wrists._

_"Y-yeah, I guess they do…"_

One after another, these memories repeated themselves in her mind, bringing with them a joy that spread as a soothing warmth through her entire being. 

_"I guess… these flames look so beautiful because it was you who made them…", she stared at him with widened eyes for a fracture of a second, at least before Rex caught himself and all but stuttered again as he tried his best to explain himself._

_"N-no, I mean… y-you're very good at making fires, is all…", for a long moment, the light of the small fire reflected in her eyes as she gazed at him, her smile only deepening even as she felt the very same warmth coursing through her, and the joy in her gaze…_

_"Well, it's what I do…"_

And she finally knew what it was that conflicted her so deeply. She… Mythra and her may share the same memories from the past, but… still, they were not truly _her's_. She may have known Addam very briefly before she fell asleep, she may have witnessed a fracture of how it was like 500 years ago… but her life only just began the moment Rex had awakened her, the moment she had shared her lifeforce with him, the moment they joined together… she believed it was destiny that they met. And she had long known for herself what it was that she felt for him… what she had forged with him, what she had shared with him, and experienced with him… it was not meant for Mythra. 

This was _her_ life. And she feared that, maybe… now that they were sharing their mind and body again… 

Pyra shook her head slightly before she discarded these thoughts, a deep seated feeling of bitterness dwelling within her just as she abruptly rose from the bed and left the small room, despite Azurda calling out for her in concern. 

She just… needed to be alone for now… 

… 

_'I still can't believe it, the nerve of him for simply staring at my-'_

_'It was_ you _who snuck into his room in the first place, Mythra…"_

Pyra heaved an almost inaudible sigh as her other half continued to ramble about Rex's _perverted_ habits, her eyes almost staring into nothingness as she almost absentmindedly sipped from her tea. There it was again, that dreadful feeling… 

_'... Pyra? Are you still listening?'_

Despite her attitude, Mythra's voice was still traced with concern within Pyra's mind, and it was only amplified when she merely huffed ever so slightly in return, setting the cup of tea back upon the table. 

_'It's nothing.'_

But Mythra was not the only one who was concerned, for even Azurda and Dromarch could easily see that something was ailing Pyra deeply as the two of them sat at a table a small distance away, subtly glancing her way. Albeit it was Azurda who was starting to wonder after their last conversation… 

And yet, the tension suddenly lifted from the air the moment a new voice hesitantly spoke up. 

"Oh, e-ehm, good… morning, Pyra.", the instant she heard his voice, Pyra's trance seemed to lift immediately as her eyes widened for the fracture of a second before she turned around on her seat to face him. And a light smile graced her lips nonetheless, all while Azurda watched the scene closely from a distance. 

"Good morning, Rex. I hope you slept well.", a light and cheerful tone was laced in her voice as Pyra looked back at him, even though her own last words brought about a bitter sensation as the image returned to her mind… 

"O-oh, well, you see… about that, I… I didn't mean to-", Rex all but stammered with embarrassment as he desperately held his hands up in apology, even though it was directed at Mythra, who was internally huffing in Pyra's mind. However, Pyra disregarded it and her voice lowered slightly with reassurance on her sister's behalf. 

"Don't worry, Mythra is sometimes a bit confused when she wakes up. It didn't… escalate into something, did it?", though her tone grew in concern once she witnessed the sore spot upon his forehead as Rex sat down on the seat beside her own, and it was then that she shifted towards him in full, eyeing the minor injury.

"No no, nothing like that… well, she _did_ throw a few things at me, but-", his words died in his throat as Pyra wordlessly reached out her hand to gently touch his forehead, and he tensed visibly. 

"Oh, I apologize deeply for that, can I have a look at it…?", again, words utterly evaded Rex as he all but stammered again while Pyra slowly shifted a bit closer to him, her fingers still touching him softly. 

And unbeknownst to the both of them, Azurda merely chuckled. 

"Ah, young love is such a beautiful thing. We could use a little bit of romance in our lives as well, don't you think?", Dromarch merely glanced at the old gramps for a moment before he shook his head with an amused smile. 

"I… think I can gladly decline."

And still, despite his humorous words, Azurda internally regarded the pair with a far bigger sense of seriousness, pondering deeply about Pyra's previous words… 

* * *

"Mythra seems very pleased.", Poppi analyzed Mythra's expression just as the trio exited the hot spring, the latter merely crossing her arms slightly with a small smile. 

"Well, it was my first bath in five hundred years. I think I have the right to savor it…", Nia regarded Mythra from the side with a wondrous expression, still trying to fathom how both her and Pyra could seemingly switch between themselves at will. However, just before she could say anything on the matter, the ground suddenly began to tremble ever so slightly, closely followed by the sounds of gunshots somewhere outside. And it alarmed the three of them instantly. 

Rushing over towards the rest of their group, who were already looking outside the window of the room to see what was going on, Nia was the first to address them. 

"Hey, what the hell was that?"

"I cannot say, sounds like some kind of disturbance…", Dromarch answered his lady as he faced them. 

"Let's find out, come on-", however, just as Rex turned around as well with the intent to head outside as quickly as possible, he suddenly halted in his tracks the moment he witnessed the form of Mythra instead of… 

Feeling as if he stared at her for a little too long, the Aegis in question slightly narrowed her eyes as she crossed her arms. 

"What's that look for?", she asked critically, causing Rex to snap out of his trance before he glanced at the ground. And yet, his expression still intrigued Mythra, the latter regarding him more closely with furrowed brows. 

"Oh… I was… just surprised to see you.", and she could finally find the word for the subtle expression he was holding when he still wasn't looking at her, causing her to huff almost. 

"You'd rather I was _her_?"

"N-no, that's… not what I meant…", before she could inquire any further, Rex had moved past her and outside of the room, Tora and Dromarch following behind. And still, Mythra remained in place for another short moment, his expression still evident in her mind… 

… and all of a sudden, she could feel a sense of… glee from her other half, even if she was trying to hide it… 

* * *

"Well, I _guess_ … it would be quickest for me to lead the way from here.", Rex exclaimed once they finally arrived at his place of origin. And yet, unbeknownst to them all, Pyra was never taking her eyes off him as she could barely contain the thought that was lingering in her mind. And any comment of Mythra on it was swiftly ignored. 

"We'll leave it to Rex-Rex. Lead the way!", Tora jumped in place, causing Rex to chuckle. 

"Don't get an inflated head. We're just following the islands, you know?", Azurda muttered within his small helmet. 

"So how we going?", the moment Rex began to ponder about Tora's question and the sheer opportunity was presented to Pyra almost as if her thoughts had been read, she couldn't help it any longer, and her sudden excitement caused especially Nia and Azurda to stare. 

"What about Fonsett? Will we pass it?", the sheer amount of anticipation as she looked at Rex, almost as if she were waiting for a wish to be granted, only caused Azurda to stare even more. 

"I mean… we _could_ go that way.", and with just that, Pyra's eyes began to gleam almost, her smile widening in tune with the amount of excitement and innocent happiness in her eyes. 

"Let's do it! I mean… let's visit your village!", her surroundings were almost entirely lost to her, even as Nia began to mutter under her breath, something that only Dromarch could hear. 

" _Okay_ … calm down…"

"Someone's… rather excitable.", and he couldn't refrain from voicing his agreement, followed shortly by even Poppi. 

"Not like normal Pyra…", it was only then that Pyra seemingly broke out of her trance and glanced at everyone in a more timid way. 

"I-I mean… do you… _not_ wanna see the place where Rex grew up?", holding her hands together in front of her, her excitement had still not ceased in the slightest, and even if she was not entirely aware of it, it was obvious to almost everyone else that while, of course, they wanted to see his place of birth as well, not even all of their enthusiasm and excitement combined could match the sheer burning desire that Pyra was radiating with every fiber of her being. 

And thus, their decision was quickly made, and even though Pyra tried harder to refrain herself from showing too much of her inner joy, she could not help the smile that edged onto her lips. 

* * *

Pyra was internally lost in her own world and thoughts, not even truly aware herself of the subconscious smile she was wearing as she helped Corinne with the dishes of their shared meal together. She just… what Rex had so openly and truthfully shared in front of his parent's graves, and what he was truly thinking of her in return… 

"I'm so sorry you need to help with the dishes after our meal together…", however, she immediately snapped out of her thoughts as she heard this from Corinne, and she was quick to shake her head with a chuckle. 

"No no, it's no bother at all, really. I don't need to be in battle to be able to help other people.", her carefree and joyful tone matched with her expression as she washed the next set of dishes, and Corinne glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes. 

"Rex is truly lucky to have you around. You know, he has never brought a girl back home to me…", for a small moment, the words seeped into her mind before Pyra suddenly froze in place for a second until she held her hands up in assurance, trying to fight the reddening of her cheeks. 

"Oh, no no no, I-I'm just Rex's blade, that's all.", and yet, Corinne only began to smile knowingly in return, a glint within her eyes that revealed just how good she could read the Aegis in front of her. 

"Is that so? You know, I've heard of a lot of common marriages between drivers and their blades in the old days.", and just like that, Corinne internally felt a sense of triumph once she witnessed the way Pyra began to blush even stronger, unable to form a single word as she merely held her arms in her hands, swaying slightly. 

And all Corinne was left wondering about was when Pyra would finally make it happen… for she could see her wish in her eyes. It was hard not to. 

It was simply a matter of time. 

* * *

"Rex! Let's go visit the grave!", Rex was slightly more than taken aback the moment Pyra had suddenly stepped in front of him, her request and wish for it lingering strongly in her eyes. 

"But, we only just went… is there something else you wanted to do there?", completely unaware of the intention that was hidden in her gaze, Pyra merely lifted a hand to her chest, her eyes glancing at the ground for a mere fracture of a second. 

"I just had something that I wanted to ask your parents about. Since we didn't get much time before, I want to talk to them properly this time, y'know?", knowing that the rest of their group was still scattered around the village while they were still resting here, Pyra simply put on a wondering expression, and to her inner gratitude, Rex didn't object. 

… 

Rex watched as Pyra silently regarded the two gravestones while she held her hands together, all until she faced him once again with a smile. And still, he couldn't truly fathom what she had in mind. 

"Well, Pyra? Did you manage to talk to them?"

"I did. We had a pleasant chat.", holding a hand to her chest, she pondered about her words very carefully as she already expected his next question. 

"What did you talk about?"

"Everything that's happened since I met you…", her voice grew ever so slightly more quiet, holding her left arm with a smile as she tilted her head slightly. 

"... and I told them not to worry because I'm going to do everything in my power to look after you.", all the while, Azurda watched her closely from the side, the way she regarded him, the intention evident in his mind, and by now, he knew what he could do to help as an idea formed in his mind. 

"I'm sorry, what? I can look after myself as well…" 

"I think not. If you go off on your own, you'll just get yourself into trouble, and I won't allow that."

"Hohoho… already bickering like you're a married couple, eh?", Azurda could see the way Pyra glanced at him with widened eyes for the briefest of moments, and he didn't regret it for one second. No, that was far from enough, he understood now. 

"... what? Hey, Gramps!", realizing the full meaning of Azurda's words only a moment afterwards, Rex stared at him with embarrassment. 

"C-couple!? But really, I didn't mean to…", unsure of Rex's own feelings, Pyra grew hesitant as she watched his every reaction closely, even if subtly. And it did manage to disappoint Azurda by not a small amount as he glanced her way with what could be discerned as a raised eyebrow. 

"Ahahaha… it was just a joke.", and still, just as Pyra glanced at him for a moment longer, Azurda shot her a look that meant _it was not_. 

"Anyhow, we've done what we have to here, right? Time we should be getting back.", Pyra's smile faltered ever so slightly the moment she heard this before her eyes glanced at the ground for a second, at least, before they fell back upon Azurda, who was floating in the air with crossed arms, and probably with both of his eyebrows raised. 

"Oh… we're leaving already? Can't we talk for a little more?", barely able to suppress the feeling of disappointment and regret, she desperately shoved her hesitation into the deepest corners of her mind and pulled herself together, even if none of it was visible on the outside. No… she wouldn't let this moment slip. Not this time. 

"We can do that when we get back, can't we?", shifting her eyes back towards Rex, she did all she could to voice her hidden intent, merely letting her disappointment be heard as she looked at him. 

"That's true, but the two of us rarely get the opportunity to talk alone like this."

"I'm not sure you can say _alone_ when we've got gramps tagging along…", looking playfully offended, Azurda comically held his small hands to his face. 

"Eh? This old fogey getting in the way? You want me to shove off?", and in his mind, that was exactly what he intended to do, but not before he could push them a little farther… 

"No one's telling you to shove off, Azurda. Stop being such a child!", Pyra said with a slightly playful and humorous tone in return. 

"Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk about?", the moment Rex pulled her back out of her thoughts, Pyra used the first thing that came into her mind as she desperately tried to think how to proceed further. 

"Do you miss your mom and dad?"

"I… I don't really know. All I know about my parents is what gramps and Auntie Corinne have told me, I have hardly any memory of them myself. But, still… everyone in the village is my family.", Pyra listened carefully to every word as he spoke, and she couldn't help but feel that, maybe… 

"I'd love to have a family as big as yours, Rex.", holding her arm with her hand, her eyes lidded ever so slightly as she glanced at the ground beside him. 

"What do you mean? You _are_ already part of the family.", and the moment these words left his mouth, Azurda sensed a second opportunity, his senses not failing him. 

"... so can we take this as a confession of love? Very bold of you to do so in front of your parents, my boy…", Azurda spoke smugly as he floated in front of Rex while Pyra covered her mouth with her hands. 

"N-no, that is not what I was trying to say!"

"Huh, so much for the boy having backbone. Sorry, Pyra, this one's going to be hard work.", he exclaimed with a sigh. 

"... hahaha! That's alright. I've got a surprising amount of patience.", until his eyes widened slightly the moment Pyra said this, actually taken aback by her bold words that left no room for interpretation, and he knew that they were not meant in a humorous way, despite her small chuckle. 

"... what are you two going on about?", at least, it _should_ have left no room for interpretation, and Azurda merely heaved an almost inaudible sigh before he suddenly floated towards Pyra. 

"I guess I shouldn't bother you any longer with dear old me, enjoy your time, you two.", and yet, the moment he passed Pyra just beside her ear, his voice was utterly serious and still humorous at the same time as he whispered. 

_"Go on… you won't get a better chance anymore, will you?"_

And just like that, he passed her by without Rex ever noticing a thing, leaving Pyra to gasp almost inaudibly. 

"Pyra? Is something wrong?", quickly recovering from her trance, she glanced at the ground for a second before she placed her hands together again, shaking her head slightly. 

"No, at all.", Rex regarded her for a brief moment longer before he accepted her answer, and Pyra immediately perked up with worry once she witnessed that he turned around. 

"Well, we should do the same and return to the rest then.", and suddenly, she acted without second thought before she grasped his hand with her own, causing him to stop in his movements as he turned around once more with a questioning look. And now, as she stared back into his eyes with too many emotions that were still left unspoken, she found herself at a loss for words. 

"... Pyra? Is really everything alright…?", and thus, even as her wishes were clashing with her fears as she internally debated within herself, her fears ultimately won the upper hand before she glanced at the ground. 

"I just wanted to thank you for this moment we could share, as I said, it doesn't happen too often that we can simply enjoy our time alone together, does it?", she forced a small smile, and still she didn't directly look back at him, nothing but regret reflecting from her eyes. 

And she would regret it for a long time. 


	3. Life Afterwards

"Well would you look at that…", Nia grinned as she watched the way Pyra was almost clinging to Rex's side as they sat together at the dining table within Corinne's house, never mind the fact that there was nobody else sitting on their side of the table, leaving plenty of room for the two of them… 

"I think it is just natural, my lady.", Dromarch said with a glance at the pair out of the corner of his eyes before he resumed his own meal. 

"But she was complaining about _me_ for being clingy when I almost froze completely in the snow…", Nia muttered with a comical frown, and Brighid couldn't help but chuckle slightly as she overheard the small conversation. All of them had decided to return towards Fonsett one last time as a group to celebrate everything they had achieved, as well as the peace that was now reaching all over Alrest. 

"It might have taken long enough.", Nia turned her head to look at Zeke almost immediately with a scrutinizing expression, the latter only witnessing it a small moment afterwards before he froze amidst of his movements, holding his spoon in front of his mouth as he stared back. And his not so very subtle tone, as well as the not so subtle interaction across the table did manage to take the attention of everyone, including both Rex and Pyra as they stared slightly. And a long moment of silence passed. 

"What? I'm not that daft, if you believe that, then I have merely succeeded in fooling you by covering my unmatched intellect!", Nia merely narrowed her eyes dangerously close as her mouth hung open slightly, especially once Zeke held a hand to his chest. 

"... riiight. Anyway, for once I have to agree with him, anyone could see that they had eyes only for each other, especially when one of the two didn't exactly manage to be subtle about it.", Nia raised both of her brows at Pyra, the latter merely holding her hands together beneath the table as she glanced downwards while Rex almost choked upon his soup. 

"What? Come now, cut it out, that's, that's just not… right, Pyra?", turning his head to look at her for confirmation, his expression soon turned even more embarrassed once he witnessed that the Aegis in question was merely staring at the ground with a sweet smile, holding her hands together upon her lap as she swayed slightly on her seat before she glanced back at him out of the corner of her eyes. And Rex felt ever so slightly betrayed. 

The amused and joyful laughter from everyone that followed directly after didn't exactly help to take the embarrassment away from him, and yet, once their eyes met again and Pyra merely smiled back at him without a word, he couldn't help but to do so as well. At least, Mythra almost absentmindedly circled her spoon within her bowl as she regarded them with a small smile before she focused her attention back upon her meal, not uttering a word or remark upon that. 

It was when the sun was starting to set that most of them retired to their rooms that Corinne had offered for them all, leaving Pyra and Rex alone in the dining room after Corinne had finished cleaning the last dishes before she bid them a good night. And still, silence reigned between them for a long moment, neither of them saying something as they were seemingly content with the silence, but neither did they want to leave yet. 

For the both of them had something on their mind that they wanted to share, this moment far too precious to let it slip, but neither of them found the words. 

"Pyra?", at least, until Rex suddenly broke the silence and Pyra immediately perked up at that, smiling back at him. 

"Yes?", still, he almost seemed hesitant to say what was on his mind, almost as if he debated within himself whether or not it would be appropriate to ask that, but in the end, he merely shook his head before he met her gaze. 

"Say, back in the world tree… the Architect, when he showed us these visions, he said that they were what we feared the most…", her smile faded ever so slightly once she recalled the visions she herself had been seeing. 

"... do you want to share what yours were about…?", again, a moment of silence passed between them as Pyra glanced at the table. 

"I… well, I… I don't…", suddenly, she stopped the moment she felt his hand touch upon her own, and she lifted her head back up to see that he had shifted slightly closer to her side. 

"It's alright, you don't need to if it is too much, I… probably shouldn't have asked.", staring into his eyes, she witnessed the smile he gave her in return as he closed his eyes in content, and it was then that a single thought ran through her mind. 

_No fear anymore_

"No, it's alright, I… I want to share it with you.", Rex opened his eyes once again with a slight amount of surprise within his expression, but before he could say a word to reassure her that she didn't have to if she did not want to, she faced him completely and looked into his eyes before she began to recall the visions she had endured. 

_Fires were burning all around her, and she could do naught but stare at the destruction that surrounded her. Homes in ruins, people scattered upon the ground, lifeless…_

_The horror overtook her as she slowly took a trembling step back, unable to believe her eyes until suddenly, she was stopped as one of the bodies on the ground suddenly stirred, barely being able to lift their arm before a broken voice sounded from their mouth._

_"... why… why did you d-destroy everything… w-why…", Pyra covered her mouth once the body slumped lifelessly to the ground again, and she could hardly breath anymore._

_"N-no, I didn't… I didn't mean to-", her breathing became ragged, nothing but guilt and despair filling her as she stood alone amidst all of the destruction that_ **_she_ ** _had caused… again…_

_And she fell upon her knees, burying her face in her hands before an almost inaudible whisper escaped her._

_"Rex… please… where are you…?"_

_…_

_"... Pyra?", a gasp escaped her once she heard his voice, and suddenly, she could feel a warm hand touch upon her wrist before she immediately perked up again, looking up from her hands to see that Rex was kneeling beside, concern evident in his eyes. For a moment, Pyra felt a wave of safety and comfort course through her as he looked into his eyes, the feelings of dread beginning to fade away into the wind, and even as she glanced around, nothing was there anymore of the destruction…_

_… instead, she witnessed the two gravestones in front of them, and the beautiful light of the setting sun that shone upon them as everything was in peace. They were… in Fonsett?_

_"Did you… did you really mean what you just said? That you… love me…?", she gasped, her face reddening in tune with the warmth that was spreading through her. Did she… really confess that to him…? And yet, despite the fear and anxiety that was coursing through her mind, as it was now already out in the open, and she could look him in the eyes as it was only themselves, she gathered all of her courage._

_"But… but of course I do! Rex, I… I love you with all my heart…", for a moment, she looked into his eyes with all the hopes and dreams she had always had, until suddenly, all of them were crushed the moment he backed slightly away from her, a look of shock crossing his expression._

_"But, Pyra, h-honestly I… you are my_ **_blade_ ** _Pyra, this isn't… this can't be, I'm sorry…", her eyes widened with utter sorrow and even as she reached her hand out for him, he merely shook his head in apology before he left her on the ground, trembling… and she could no longer hold back the tears that were rolling down her cheeks._

_"No, I… Rex! Please…!"_

_But her words were left unheard, all until her vision began to darken again._

Pyra had her eyes closed once she finished the last of her memories, her hands trembling ever so slightly at the images she had relived to tell. Until suddenly, she immediately opened her eyes again once she felt a pair of arms hugging her, and she turned her head to see Rex embracing her as he head against her neck, and she could only return it with a loving smile. Gratitude and relief washed over her again as Pyra simply relished in this moment, as well as everything they could now look forward to together. All of this was in the past, and in the end, she had _nothing_ to fear anymore. Not with him at her side. 

"Rex?"

"Yeah?", Pyra hummed for a moment before she simply laid her head against his back. 

"Would you like to share your visions as well?", she felt a small rumbling that coursed through him as he chuckled before he slowly pulled back, much to Pyra's slight bemusement, albeit she could now see the smile he was directing at her. 

"Seems only fair."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never written this much in a day, even though I'll probably split it in two parts, but I had to add this and it was well worth it


End file.
